Murder by Suggestion

by Veronica Heley

  Ellie objected. ‘Thomas, you’ll be fit for nothing tomorrow if you don’t get more than a couple of hours’ sleep. Remember, the magazine needs you!’

  Thomas shook his head. ‘I’m not taking any more chances. Bother the magazine. Keeping you all alive is more important.’

  Rafael said, ‘We’re not arguing with the master of the house, Mrs Quicke, are we? Sleep tight and see you in the morning.’

  Ellie trudged up the stairs, saying to herself, ‘Please, Lord. Bless this house and all who sleep in it. I must make a list of who I have to ring tomorrow. Except that, oh dear, it is already tomorrow.’

  Below her, little Evan stumped out into the hall. ‘Biccy? I want Biccy!’

  Kat toiled after him, saying, ‘Hush!’ But followed him into the kitchen to give him what he wanted.

  Ellie decided to look in on Diana before she slid into bed herself. Diana was fast asleep, tears still glistening on her cheeks. She did not cry often. Ellie pulled the duvet over her daughter’s thin shoulder and sighed out a prayer for her.

  At last. Ellie got into her own bed and eased her aching back. She looked at the alarm clock which was inexorably working its way round to her usual getting-up time. Her brain was overactive. She knew she wouldn’t sleep. She tried to pray and found herself saying, ‘Bless this house,’ over and over again.

  She heard the cat Midge patter up the stairs. Would he decide to come in with Ellie or not? No, he skittered across the landing, chasing a moonbeam … or a mouse. The smell of burned paraffin still hung in her nostrils.

  She knew she wouldn’t sleep. She missed Thomas … Dear Lord, bless this house and all who have taken shelter here.

  SIXTEEN

  Wednesday morning.

  Ellie half woke when Thomas joined her in bed but dropped quickly back into sleep and didn’t wake again till the alarm went off. She flung out an arm, but Thomas was already up and in the shower.

  She forced herself out of bed, followed him into the shower, pulled on some clothes any old how and stumped down the stairs feeling crotchety. She was just able to see Susan leaving the house at her usual time, and with a smile and a cheery wave of her hand.

  Rafael and Thomas were in the kitchen, getting in one another’s way. Ellie pushed them aside and cooked. As long as she was not asked to speak, she’d be all right. The men worked their way through everything she provided, also without speaking.

  Midge appeared, and she fed him. At least he was easy to look after.

  As soon as he was finished, Rafael shot off somewhere, saying he’d be back soon. Whatever that might mean.

  Thomas helped himself to a fourth cup of coffee and cleared his throat. ‘What would be the most helpful thing for me to do?’

  ‘The magazine?’ said Ellie.

  ‘Forget it. This is more important. Our insurance is up to date, isn’t it? Shall I get on to them about what happened last night? I assume we’re covered for the damage to the hall floor. We may also be covered for the damage to our guests’ property. The fire investigator will be round, I assume. He will have passed a note on to the police, won’t he?’

  ‘If you can deal with all that, it would be wonderful.’

  ‘I’ll start getting some quotes for resurfacing the hall floor, too.’

  Ellie’s mind was racing ahead. ‘Russet’s not going to be up to much for a while. If I can find out who her insurance company is, perhaps you could get a claim started for her house fire, as well?’

  He reached for a pad and pencil. ‘Poor woman. Will do. If the fire at Russet’s was so bad that they couldn’t get out of the house by using the stairs, perhaps they’ll need someone to board up the ground floor to deter looters? Mm, hm.’ Off he went to start on the phone calls.

  Kat, singing a lullaby, carried a sleepy little Evan into the kitchen. ‘He wants more “biccies”. Is he meaning any food, or only biscuits?’

  ‘That’s a thought. I don’t know,’ said Ellie. ‘You sit down and have some breakfast, Kat, while I try him on some proper food. He’ll turn into a right pudding if he doesn’t eat anything except biscuits and normally he eats some of whatever we’re having. He’s right out of his routine, isn’t he? Turning night into day.’ She boiled an egg and took little Evan on her lap to feed him while Kat rummaged for bread and cheese and tea for herself.

  Little Evan demurred at first and murmured ‘Biccy’ several times, but finally accepted the egg and some bread and butter, followed by a hot milk drink.

  Ellie said, ‘You’re very good with babies, Kat. Do you not want one of your own someday?’

  ‘Rupert does not wish it.’ Kat’s hair was down around her shoulders, and she was showing the effects of a sleepless night, but she seemed to have reserves of energy.

  Ellie said, ‘Tell me, Kat. Did you sign a prenuptial agreement before you married Rupert?’

  ‘I did. We went to the solicitors first, and then to registry office for the marriage.’

  ‘Did any of his friends come to see you married?’

  ‘No. I say we wait for my family to come, but he is in a hurry. I understand. His friends have money, and I have nothing. He say they will pity me. So he does not ask them. It was long time till I saw them, but they are very kind to me, Barbie and Russet most of all. They show me how to do things. I have great regard for them all.’

  ‘Rupert was not very kind to you, was he?’

  ‘When he is little boy, the family is very poor. His grandfather and father work very hard and they are lucky suddenly they are rich. He is afraid, always, that he will lose everything and be poor again.’ She finished her tea, collected little Evan and bore him off upstairs.

  Ellie looked at the clock and decided it was time to start ringing around.

  She tried Monique’s mobile first and got through. There were kitchen sounds in the background. A kettle shrilled. ‘Yes?’

  ‘Monique, you are back in your own home again? There’s something you should know about. Last night …’ Ellie reported what had happened.

  Monique said, ‘What?’ In a shocked voice. ‘Say that again.’

  Ellie repeated what she’d said.

  Monique hissed to herself. ‘Where is this going to stop? I must sit down. I can’t believe …! No, of course you wouldn’t make it up. Who is doing this? It’s not Evan. No, that I can’t believe!’

  ‘Well, it’s not the wives. Barbie and Russet have lost even what they managed to salvage from their homes yesterday, and Russet has been badly burned and is in pain.’

  ‘Well, that’s awful. You think it’s Terry or Rupert? No, surely not!’

  ‘I don’t know who it is.’ Here Ellie crossed her fingers, because she thought she knew. Or suspected, anyway. ‘The question is what happens next? The game is not over yet. I ask myself, who’s next for burning alive? I want to get everyone round the table here this afternoon and see if we can work out exactly who is behind this nasty business.’

  ‘You expect me to get the men to face their wives across a table? No way!’

  ‘I expect you to repair some of the damage you’ve done. You took it on yourself to help the men get rid of their wives because you were playing off an old score against Diana. You amused yourself playing Musical Marital Chairs, but the name of the game has changed to Murder by Fire.’

  ‘You can’t hold me responsible for what’s happened.’

  ‘I don’t. But if you hadn’t taken a hand in the game, I doubt if the men would have been quite so quick to detach their wives from their homes. I can’t see any of them orchestrating that operation, can you? Now someone has taken advantage of the situation to up the game and who can tell who’s next for the chop? That includes the men. So, if you tell them what’s happened and point out that one of them may be next, then they’ll come to the table, won’t they?’

  ‘I don’t know. I’ll have to think about that.’ The phone clicked off.

  Ellie was fairly pleased with that conversation. What next?

  Thomas erupte
d from his study at the end of the corridor, saying the fire investigator was ringing back soon to say when he’d be round, and the insurance people would be there some time later that day but couldn’t say when. He’d had no joy with getting anyone to look at the parquet flooring but would carry on with that after he’d had another cup of coffee.

  Hint, hint. Ellie made some more coffee, and Thomas retreated to his study.

  Ellie lifted the phone to make her next call, only to be interrupted by Rafael rushing in with a laptop and an armful of files which he took straight through to the dining room.

  She followed him. ‘Rafael, I’m sure it’s not necessary for you to stick around. I know you’re a busy man.’

  He grinned. ‘Susan’s very fond of you, you know. She told me she wasn’t leaving the house unless I stayed. I didn’t want her to miss classes, did I?’

  She had to smile. ‘Well, I’m grateful. I promise you that I am on the job. I’m setting up a conference in here this very afternoon. Perhaps you can move down to the library when people come?’

  ‘I’ve brought some files I need to look at and can settle down wherever you wish. Any chance of a cup of coffee?’

  Ellie made another cup of coffee and took it in to him. How many cups of coffee had she made that morning? Were they going to run out of milk?

  Rafael set up his laptop on the table and began checking over some papers in the top file at his elbow. Ellie shuddered and withdrew, thankful that he didn’t expect her to understand what he was doing.

  What next? She found some painkillers, collected a lightweight dressing gown and, armed with a mug of tea, knocked on the door of the room in which Russet had been sleeping.

  Not that it looked as if Russet had had a good night. She was awake, with a deep frown line between her eyebrows. The room stank of fire. Her bandaged hand had precluded her taking a shower or getting much sleep, but her manners were impeccable. She eased herself into a sitting position one-handed and attempted a smile.

  ‘Mrs Quicke, you are so good, taking us all in like this. What a nuisance we’re being.’

  Ellie popped two painkillers out and placed them on Russet’s undamaged palm. ‘Don’t talk. Get these down you and then rest till they take effect.’

  ‘I ought to get up and take a shower. I stink of fire.’ One side of her hair had been singed by the fire and she was in too much pain to relax. ‘How is Barbie? Is she all right? She saved my life last night, you know. She came to help me and ended up losing even the little she had left.’

  ‘Drink up. Do you have to go back to the hospital for your hand?’

  ‘No. I have to see my local doctor.’ Tears began to slide down her cheeks. ‘Sorry, sorry. I’m not usually such a dreary person. I’ll be all right. Of course I will. I keep telling myself that I’ll survive, but I’m not sure I believe it.’

  ‘Of course you will. I must find you something to wear until you can get to the shops.’

  Again, Russet tried to smile. ‘Oh, Mrs Quicke, I am so much taller than you that … Perhaps Trish might have something, even though she is broader across the shoulders than I. You are all so good to me. I keep thinking, what’s it all about? First Walt threw me out, then he dies and then there was the fire last night. Barbie and Bro and I, we all nearly died. We were meant to die, weren’t we? What on earth is going on?’

  ‘That is indeed the question and we are going to deal with it. Meanwhile, could you bear to fill me in on how you got married to Walt? Did you sign a prenuptial agreement?’

  ‘No. We never thought of it. It was a spur of the moment impulse to get married, you see. Not that I regretted it for a moment.’ She almost laughed. ‘You won’t believe this, but we got married in Las Vegas. Walt had business in America and asked if I’d like to go along for the ride. We ended up dropping in to Vegas to see what the fuss was all about and Walt said, “Why not get married today?” and I said, “Why not?” So we did.’

  ‘You’d known one another a long time? You knew his friends?’

  ‘I’d known him about a year. We met in a busy restaurant. They’d double-booked a table and asked if we’d mind sharing. It went on from there. He was scared of trusting any woman again because his first wife had gone off with the man he thought was his best friend. I’d been married before as well. We were much too young. He drank and gambled. Ugh! Those experiences had scarred us both, but somehow … You know, we did laugh a lot. We really did. We had such good times.’

  ‘I understand. So you didn’t meet any of his friends before you were married?’

  ‘No. You can understand why, can’t you?’

  ‘Did your family approve of your marrying Walt?’

  ‘Except for Bro, my baby brother, who’s always getting into fixes and expecting someone else to bail him out. He thought my getting married again meant I’d be less likely to help him out in future, and I suppose that is what’s happened, but he did come to my rescue yesterday.’

  And left again when the going got tough. But we won’t mention that.

  Ellie patted Russet’s shoulder. ‘I’m going to see how the others are getting on, and someone will be in shortly to help you bathe and get dressed. Meanwhile, Thomas has offered to go over to your house to see what needs doing. Can you remember who you’re insured with?’

  ‘How good of him. All the papers are in the desk in the study next to the kitchen at the back. Insurance? Let me think. It was done through Age Concern.’

  ‘Which builder do you normally use?’

  ‘The people in the Avenue. A small firm but good.’

  ‘I know it.’

  ‘Now, if the firemen will let Thomas get into the house, can he find my handbag because it’s got my mobile phone, my keys and all my cards in it? I think I left it in the hall.’

  ‘I’ll see what can be done.’

  Ellie went downstairs to tell Thomas what she’d learned from Russet. He said he’d be off there in a minute but he still hadn’t found anyone to resurface their flooring.

  Ellie said, ‘Forget it for the moment. It’s probably going to be an insurance job, and it’s a small matter compared to what else needs doing.’

  He nodded, collected his keys and left.

  What next? Ah, yes. She had to ring Lesley at the police station. Ellie decided to get Lesley on her mobile as this was not going to be an official call. Ellie’s call went to voicemail but, before Ellie could decide what to do next, Lesley rang back.

  Ellie said, ‘There’s been some developments. Lesley, I know it’s not possible for the police to move on the deaths for the moment, but last night Russet’s house was torched. She and her brother and her friend were lucky to get away with their lives. Later, someone tried to torch this house as well. I don’t know who is responsible. All I know is that certain people couldn’t have done it. Maybe that will help.’

  ‘I’m shocked.’

  ‘So am I. Fire investigators are on to both incidents and I suppose reports will filter through to you eventually, but in the meantime I’m convening a meeting of interested parties here this afternoon. Even if you can’t be here officially, I’m inviting you to join us. I hope to be able to clear up one or two misconceptions about this situation. Perhaps you can tape the proceedings?’

  Lesley absorbed this slowly. ‘You want me there, but not in an official capacity? It’s unlikely the police will be informed about the fires until the investigators have produced their report, and that will take time. However, if you have suffered an incident I could, as a friend, drop in to see if you are all right. On the other hand, I can’t tape proceedings without cautioning everyone first.’

  Ellie grinned to herself. ‘Just do it, right? Four o’clock. Tea and biscuits.’ She killed the call. Now, what next? Was that the noise of a shower running up at the top of the house? Barbie had taken refuge up in Susan’s flat, hadn’t she?’

  Barbie had arrived from the hospital in a dressing gown and slippers over a flimsy nightie. Barbie could not go out on to the
streets like that, and she was not as tall as Russet, so Ellie looked out a couple of T-shirts and some jogging trousers that she’d bought when she had resolved to take more exercise but had never worn. They’d be too large around the waist for Barbie, but perhaps a safety pin or two might make them fit, sort of?

  Ellie toiled up the stairs to the top floor, carrying her clothes and yet another mug of tea. She knocked on the door of Susan’s spare room and, on being given permission to enter, did so. Barbie was standing at the window, with a bath towel tied like a sarong around her breasts. She had showered and washed her hair and was trying to reduce her long bob to order.

  ‘Oh, Mrs Quicke, how good of you. Susan looked after me beautifully last night. She said she’d be off early this morning and I didn’t like to go into her kitchen though I was dying for a cuppa. Tell me, how is Russet?’

  ‘She’s as well as can be expected. She’s worried about you. Drink your tea.’

  ‘Bless you. Just what I need. I am truly grateful.’ She sipped the tea and closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation. ‘You know, Mrs Quicke, I was brought up in a churchgoing family, but I thought I’d grown out of all that. I haven’t been to church for years. Now – can you believe it – I find myself praying. I thank the Lord that I was saved from the fire last night, and that Russet was, too. I am truly thankful that I have a comb and a lipstick and my credit cards. And for this excellent cup of tea.’

  Barbie had lost everything but was putting a brave face on things. She was a thoroughbred.

  Ellie said, ‘I pray, too. I pray we may be shown how to defeat the evil mind which has been bent on destroying us.’

  Barbie shot her a sharp look. ‘Who do you think it is?’

  ‘I don’t like to say. How about you?’

  ‘I know who I’d like it to be, but I’ve absolutely no proof.’

  Were they both thinking of the same person?